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COMMITTMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified		2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 1997 Year	Jan. 31, 2005 Minera Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (the "Transaction") lawsuits	Oct. 31, 2010 Asarco LLC American Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction lawsuits	Jun. 30, 2011 American Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction Day	Oct. 31, 2010 American Mining Corporation ("AMC") merger transaction lawsuits	Sep. 30, 2011 Peruvian operations. Toquepala and Cuajone mines	Sep. 30, 2010 Peruvian operations. Toquepala and Cuajone mines	Sep. 30, 2011 Peruvian operations. Tia Maria Day	Sep. 30, 2011 Toquepala Concentrator Expansion person	Sep. 30, 2011 Peruvian operations.
Litigation matter
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits filed		3	2		4
Number of purported class action derivative lawsuits which are consolidated		3
Number of consolidated purported class action derivative lawsuits		1
Period of trial (in days)				4
Other commitments:
Percentage of royalty expense, low end of the range (as a percent)						1.00%				1.00%
Percentage of royalty expense, high end of the range (as a percent)						3.00%				12.00%
Royalty charge						$ 52.5	$ 44.1
Period for which the first resolution of approval process is suspended (in days)								180
Term of power purchase agreement related to sale of power plant (in years)	20
Amount invested in mine and leach equipment and required studies								$ 434.3	$ 142.4
Minumum number of persons participating in public hearing									1,300
Maximum percentage of operating income margin for specified royalty tax (as a percent)										10.00%
Royalty tax on operating margin up to 10 Percent (as a percent)										1.00%
Incremental operating income margin for specified increase in royalty tax (as a percent)										5.00%
Increase in royalty charge for every five percent increase in operating income margin (as a percent)										0.75%
Special Mining Tax
Special mining tax rate, low end of range (as a percent)										2.00%
Special mining tax rate, high end of range (as a percent)										8.40%
Special mining tax on operating margin up to 10 Percent (as a percent)										2.00%
Maximum percentage of operating income margin for specified special mining tax (as a percent)										10.00%
Incremental operating income margin for specified increase in special mining tax (as a percent)										5.00%
Increase in special mining tax for every five percent increase in operating income margin (as a percent)										0.40%
Operating income margin upto which incremental addition is applicable (as a percent)										85.00%

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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